AS Monaco strengthened its grip near the top of the EuroLeague standings with a 101-84 home victory over struggling Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade on Tuesday night at Salle Gaston Medecin, extending its winning streak to four games.

Monaco’s balanced attack buries slumping Partizan

AS Monaco strengthened its grip near the top of the EuroLeague standings with a 101-84 home victory over struggling Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade on Tuesday night at Salle Gaston Medecin, extending its winning streak to four games.

Alpha Diallo led a remarkably balanced attack with 14 points as six Monaco players scored in double figures and all 11 who dressed found the scoresheet. Nikola Mirotic and Matt Strazel added 13 points apiece, while Mike James orchestrated the offense with 11 points and 8 assists. Sterling Brown poured in 19 for Partizan, which dropped its fifth straight to fall to 6-14.

Monaco’s perimeter shooting immediately separated the teams and never really allowed Partizan to feel comfortable. The hosts drilled 6 of 9 three-pointers in the first quarter to open a 28-21 lead, repeatedly punishing late closeouts and defensive breakdowns. Mirotic then pushed the margin into double figures with the first two baskets of the second quarter as Monaco continued to move the ball crisply and attack mismatches.

By halftime, Monaco’s control of the game showed up everywhere on the stat sheet. It led 54-39 at the break and dominated the glass 18-8, including 5-1 in offensive rebounds, turning those extra possessions into a 9-0 advantage in second-chance points. The ball movement was equally striking: Monaco held a 12-6 edge in assists at the half, a precursor to a 22-15 final tally.

The margin swelled to 21 in the third quarter before Partizan finally mounted a response. Veteran playmaker Nick Calathes engineered a 0-10 run that briefly revived the visitors’ hopes, as Partizan increased its defensive pressure and found some rhythm in transition.

Monaco, however, absorbed the punch and then reasserted control. A 10-3 burst to open the fourth quarter restored a comfortable cushion, and although Partizan continued to fight, the outcome was never seriously in doubt the rest of the way. The hosts finished the night with a 32-21 rebounding advantage and a resounding 15-0 edge in second-chance points, while also winning the points-off-turnovers battle 28-23 after leading 17-9 in that category at halftime.

Coach Vassilis Spanoulis highlighted his team’s two-way commitment and unselfishness as the foundation of the performance: “We were good on both ends of the floor,” he said. “When we share the ball and we play together, we are a different team. I am satisfied and now we have a very important game against Valencia.”

Spanoulis noted that the team needed a few minutes to rediscover its rhythm after a week without games, but once it did, the offense flowed through its guards and spacing.

“After a couple of minutes, we found our rhythm. We started to share the ball and play our game. We had amazing, amazing creation from our guards. Everybody played amazing in his role, and we were very good both ways, except for a couple of moments in the first quarter and a couple of moments in the third quarter, but overall, I’m very satisfied.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Perfect way to start 2026 💯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DagheMunegu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DagheMunegu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/X4CkvG05Mk">pic.twitter.com/X4CkvG05Mk</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/2008646998975803482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Diallo underlined the group’s resilience after a difficult lead-in to the game: “We played a 40-minute game,” he said. “We came out really sluggish. First game of the new year. Half the team was sick for a few days, so a lot of guys were questionable, including me. Just to come out here and get our second wind and get a win on our home court is important.”

James continued his remarkable all-around run; his 11 points and 8 assists marked his 15th consecutive game with a performance index rating of at least 10 and his 17th straight outing with 5 or more assists.<br>
Mirotic, meanwhile, added another historical milestone to the night. By knocking down 2 three-pointers, he moved past Arturas Milaknis into 13th place on the all-time EuroLeague list with 462 career triples.

Strazel’s perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc epitomized Monaco’s collective marksmanship. In all, 10 different Monaco players made a three-pointer as the team finished an astonishing 15-for-25 from long range, a display of depth and spacing that Partizan’s weary defense simply could not match.

Partizan head coach Joan Penarroya was blunt in his assessment: “We played bad in the first half,” he admitted. “I think we improved, especially in the third quarter, but it’s not enough.”

Despite Brown’s 19 points and the third-quarter spark, Partizan’s fifth straight loss leaves it deeper in trouble at the bottom of the standings. Monaco, by contrast, leaves the night with momentum preserved, its winning streak extended, and its collective identity – unselfish, deep and disciplined – reinforced ahead of another key clash against Valencia.

Game News

Diallo, Mirotic, Strazel lead balanced attack as hosts roll to fourth straight win

AS Monaco v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2026-01-06T18:30:00.000Z)

Real Madrid’s victory at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on Tuesday night was far more challenging than the deceptively wide final scoreline, 69-80, might suggest. But if Los Blancos got the win, it was thanks in large part to one man, Trey Lyles.

Trey Lyles leads lackluster Real Madrid to late-developing road win at ASVEL

[Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/)’s victory at [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) on Tuesday night was far more challenging than the deceptively wide final scoreline, 69-80, might suggest.

The French team was superior for long periods and led at the end of the first, second and third quarters, maintaining for the majority of the game an advantage that climbed as high as 10 points early in the third period.

But Real, despite playing way below its best for nearly all the contest, hung in there and gradually fought back to take a small lead, 63-65, early in the fourth quarter.

And then [Trey Lyles](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/trey-lyles/014117/) took over.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-Real Madrid | Round 20 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

The Canadian forward scored 10 consecutive points in just over two minutes, single-handedly turning what had been a tight game into a comfortable conclusion by netting four straight scores, while also helping out on the defensive end with a couple of rebounds and a big block.

His final tally of 21 points and 7 rebounds, for a game-high PIR of 26, continues the Canadian forward’s strong first season with Real following 10 years in the NBA, and after the contest he joked that coach Sergio Scariolo should count on him for more game-winning exploits in the future.

“Coach came to me a bunch in the fourth quarter, and I showed him why he should keep doing that,” he smiled.

More seriously though, Lyles added a reproach to his teammates for getting themselves into such a tricky position in the first place, complaining: “We’ve made it a habit to play lackadaisical in the first half, and then in the second half we pick it up.

“We need to start doing that from the beginning of the game. If we do that, we will make games a lot easier for us and we won’t have to dig ourselves out of a hole like we did today and in the last few games.

“We’ve got to stay accountable to one another and go out there and play with a lot of energy.”

Lyles has a point, because his outstanding burst helped Real overcome an often sloppy and occasionally lifeless collective performance. But although Coach Scariolo did not even attempt to pretend that his team had played a good game, he also wasn’t particularly unhappy about that as he reasoned: “It’s difficult to look for perfection. Perfection is to come, when it’s time to play for a championship.

“Right now, this is a process where every couple of days you have a game. There are difficulties, there is travel, there are many factors… When you play every couple of days, there are difficulties. For people who are professionally into this, it’s not something difficult to explain at all.”

This mindset – accepting that no trophies are won in the autumn and that momentum needs to be gradually built over the course of a season rather than burned out when it’s too early to count – has been a key aspect of Real’s habitual success over many decades.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">✨ <a href="https://twitter.com/TreyLyles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TreyLyles</a> <br>👏 MVP del partido vs <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LDLCASVEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/7ur1cw8WWY">pic.twitter.com/7ur1cw8WWY</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/2008648301370109967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Without saying it directly, Scariolo is also suggesting that the struggles of top teams to find consistency explains the current parity of the EuroLeague, as we head into the midway point of the regular season with only two wins separating first place from tenth.

Behind that line of thinking, of course, there is also the expectation that the cream will eventually rise to the top, and that the strongest teams will find a way to pace themselves and hit their best form when it matters the most.

With an unmatched tally of 10 Final Four appearances in the last 15 years, Real has repeatedly benefitted from that philosophy.

Scariolo’s calmness suggests he has every belief that everything will come together for his team when the time is right: hit your peak in May, not November.

And, in a way, the evidence was provided on a smaller scale on Tuesday night: early struggles, gradual improvement, a powerful late surge, and ultimately a deserved victory. If this win proves to be a microcosm of the season in general, Real’s race could be perfectly timed.

A strong fourth quarter allowed the Spanish giant to overcome Pierric Poupet's spirited squad

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Real Madrid (2026-01-06T19:00:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna ended an eight-game losing streak against Zalgiris Kaunas with an 83-79 home victory in Round 20. Derrick Alston and Luca Vildoza starred late as Virtus stayed strong at home.


Virtus vanquishes Zalgiris to snap historic losing streak 

Virtus Bologna finally broke a 19-year curse. After eight consecutive losses to Zalgiris Kaunas, the Italian powerhouse ended the drought with an 83-79 home victory in Round 20 of the EuroLeague Regular Season. The last time Virtus beat Zalgiris was back in October 2007 — Alan Anderson scored 28 points that night, and current Virtus forward Saliou Niang was just three years old.

This win wasn’t just about history; it was about resilience. Virtus led most of the way, but when Zalgiris clawed back to tie the game at 74-74 late in the fourth quarter, the hosts refused to fold. Derrick Alston Jr. and Luca Vildoza combined for 7 crucial points in crunch time, and Carsen Edwards iced the game from the free-throw line to seal a statement victory.

Several players stepped up during the game. Matt Morgan scored 13 of his 15 points in the first quarter to set the tone. Edwards, Alston, and Vildoza carried Virtus throughout, while Niang impressed with 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting and 7 rebounds – including 5 on the offensive end – for a PIR of 15.

"Coach told me that I needed to go for offensive rebounds, because I can give energy and more opportunities to the team. And that's what I did tonight," Niang said. I'm very happy to help my teammates, and I'm also happy for the win."

For Zalgiris,  Nigel Williams-Goss, Sylvain Francisco, Moses Wright, and Azuolas Tubelis all posted PIRs of 20 or higher, but the rest of the team combined for just 3 PIR.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It takes 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 🤍🖤 <a href="https://t.co/YQHWBqzeML">pic.twitter.com/YQHWBqzeML</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Bologna (@VirtusBo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusBo/status/2008659825090326528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Virtus remained rock-solid at home. Coach Dusko Ivanovic's team has won eight of its 10 games in several venues around Bologna, always pushed by thousands of diehard fans. With the team back at Virtus Arena, the home-court advantage is even stronger now.

"I remember I talked to Dani \[Hackett\] this morning and he said, 'I don't know, we've never beaten Zalgiris in EuroLeague'. So, we both unanimously said, we got to get one today. So, that was just the focus, trying to go there and get a win," Alston said after the game. "We just played super hard tonight and I felt like we stayed focused throughout the end. Even, it got close to the end, we stayed with it and got a win."

Virtus now has an opportunity to both win on the road and give itself a winning record. It faces Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in the Greek capital in Round 21 before playing on the road at Dubai Basketball in Round 22.

Alston, Vildoza, and Edwards deliver late heroics as Virtus rewrites history in Bologna

Virtus Bologna v Zalgiris Kaunas (2026-01-06T19:30:00.000Z)

Antonio Blakeney led Hapoel Tel Aviv with 25 points in a dominant 85-60 win over Dubai Basketball. Vasilije Micic added 19 as Hapoel improved to 14-6 despite losing Tyler Ennis to injury.


Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv Crushes Dubai Basketball 85-60 Behind Blakeney’s 25 Points

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv romped to an 85-60 home win over Dubai Basketball and improved to 14-6 in the EuroLeague after a rampant second half in which the visitors were blown away by the home team’s immaculate defense.

Having led 36-41 at the interval, Dubai had no reply for Hapoel’s aggressive second-half hustle and dropped to 9-11 after scoring a mere 6 points in the fourth quarter, with the home team running riot from all over and putting the icing on the cake with some spectacular plays.

The only downside for Hapoel was a torn Achilles tendon suffered by  Tyler Ennis, who has previously had multiple injuries, including a fractured ankle in 2018 during his time with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and an ACL tear in 2020 when he featured for Turk Telekom Ankara.

Antonio Blakeney produced a masterclass for Hapoel as he led the charge with 25 points and 7 rebounds, while playmaker Vasilije Micic added 19 as the hosts racked up a staggering 47 rebounds, 14 of them on the offensive end.

Dubai got off to a great start as it dominated the offensive boards, collecting 6 in the opening 10 minutes to take a 17-24 first-quarter lead as Dwayne Bacon and Filip Petrusev netted 7 points each. Blakeney caught fire in the second as he sank 9 points in the period, but Aleksa Avramovic responded at the other end with 8 points, 3 assists and 2 steals for Dubai to keep the visitors ahead as they led 36-41 at halftime.

Then came the third quarter whirlwind as Blakeney started hitting mid-range jumpes for fun, followed by some long-range artillery, and Micic followed in his footsteps, turning the game on its head. More one-way traffic followed in the fourth with Dubai throwing in the towel well before the final buzzer. 

“Our defensive effort was enormous and smart at the same time. Dubai are such a talented team and we managed to keep them under 20 points for the two quarters and that says a lot,” Hapoel head coach Dimitris Itoudis said in his postgame comments.

“We showed that we have the identity to compete when things are not going well for us. Dubai have multiple ways of hurting you, but defensively we were there, we stayed composed and kept believing that we can make it happen. Last but not least, we want to applaud the fans who were here, there were 7,000 heroes in the gym,” the Greek tactician added. “Unfortunately we have some bad news about Tyler. We know he’s a tough kid, but it doesn’t look good.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">👀👀👀 <a href="https://t.co/WUJKu5Upkj">pic.twitter.com/WUJKu5Upkj</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/2008660743538045055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With Hapoel losing two of its previous three, including an 80-93 home defeat by Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 19, Blakeney acknowledged that defeat was not an option against Dubai. “We had to bounce back,” he said. “They were scoring on us, so we changed the defense and made it happen.”

Micic added: “We played a great game and used the energy we got from the fans. We were ready for today’s game and I think we deserved the victory,” said the Serbian playmaker who went on to extend best wishes to those celebrating Christmas by the Julian calendar. 

There was not much visiting coach Jurica Golemac could complain about after seeing his team swept aside in a lop-sided second half, as Dubai committed 14 turnovers, having managed as many assists, while shooting 4-of-19 from deep and collecting just 31 boards.

“We didn’t show up in the second half,” Golemac said. “We didn’t make the stops and we played as individuals, so congratulations to Hapoel.”

The hosts dominated 49-19 after the break to celebrate an emphatic victory 

Hapoel thrives on ironclad second-half defense to overwhelm Dubai

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v Dubai Basketball (2026-01-06T19:05:00.000Z)

With six players unavailable, Peppe Poeta knew EA7 Emporio Armani Milan would be up against it at Telekom Center Athens on Tuesday night. What he described pregame as “a huge emergency” instead revealed the character of his roster, as Milan earned a 74–87 road victory over Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens.

Armoni Brooks helps Milan sting Panathinaikos again

With six players unavailable, Peppe Poeta knew [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) would be up against it at Telekom Center Athens on Tuesday night. What he described pregame as “a huge emergency” instead revealed the character of his roster, as Milan earned a 74–87 road victory over [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/).

Both teams entered this Round 20 matchup coming off derby losses. Milan was defeated 97–85 by Virtus Bologna, while Ergin Ataman’s Panathinaikos side fell 82–87 to Olympiacos Piraeus. Pressure was heavier on the Greens [following comments from owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/1914596/dimitris-giannakopoulos-to-panathinaikos-players-after-losing-to-olympiacos-i-havent-slept-at-all/), and the result marked an unwelcome milestone: Panathinaikos has now lost consecutive EuroLeague home games for the first time since Ataman arrived in the summer of 2023. The last time the club dropped back-to-back home games in the competition came in Rounds 24 and 26 of the 2022–23 season, when the Greens finished 17th.

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | Round 20 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

The victory also allowed Milan to sweep the season series against Panathinaikos for the first time since 2021–22. Just as he was in Round 15, [Armoni Brooks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/armoni-brooks/013384/) proved decisive. In that earlier meeting, he scored 26 points and knocked down 8 three-pointers as Poeta earned his second win as full-time head coach. This time, at the home of the eight-time champs, Brooks finished with 24 points and 5 threes, with former Milan coach Ettore Messina – now the club’s president of basketball operations – watching on.

Brooks was far from alone. [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/josh-nebo/011199/) delivered his best performance of the season with 16 points and 7 rebounds, while [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/lorenzo-brown/009622/) added 17 points and 5 assists in his first game back at Telekom Center Athens since leaving Panathinaikos last summer. With Milan missing [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/), [Quinn Ellis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/quinn-ellis/012593/), [Leandro Bolmaro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/leandro-bolmaro/008985/), and rotation players [Nate Sestina](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nathan-sestina/011980/), [Ousmane Diop](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ousmane-diop/013385/), and [Stefano Tonut](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/stefano-tonut/006509/), contributions from Nebo and Brown were essential for an undermanned group.

“That’s just our next-man-up mentality,” Brooks said afterward. “We had some big minutes from \[[Diego\] Flaccadori](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/diego-flaccadori/005670/), \[[Nico\] Mannion](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/niccolo-mannion/011064/), and \[[Pippo\] Ricci](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/giampaolo-ricci/001518/), and Lorenzo stepped up in his moment. It’s good that we’ve got such a deep roster. We trust each other, we play hard, and we’ve just got to keep this momentum going.”

Panathinaikos led for much of the first half, but Milan consistently found ways to stay within striking distance. Brown scored 11 of his points after halftime, while Brooks and Nebo each had 12 in the second half. Milan pulled away in the fourth quarter, keeping its foot on the gas and silencing a stunned home crowd.

“Tough crowd – it’s always a tough environment here,” Brown said. “Sticking together as a team, executing late, taking our time, and making big shots and defensive stops helped us win the game.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jump AB Jump<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olimpia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olimpia</a> <a href="https://t.co/UaoLK6avrz">pic.twitter.com/UaoLK6avrz</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/2008672245355606456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

After three straight EuroLeague losses, the win was an ideal way for Milan to steady itself entering the second half of the season. It was a statement result, underlining that even shorthanded, Milan remains a serious contender to reach the postseason.

“I’m so happy for the guys because they deserve it,” Poeta said. “We came in on the road after three straight EuroLeague losses and wanted to show how tough we are. We want to compete for the playoffs until the end. The guys really showed up. Winning on this court against such a great team and coach is very difficult.”

Milan hosts Anadolu Efes Istanbul on Friday night to close out the double-round week, beginning a stretch in which five of its next six games are at home. Sitting 12th at 10–10, Poeta’s team has a good chance to now strengthen its playoff push and climb into the top 10. Panathinaikos, meanwhile, will look to respond when it hosts Virtus Bologna on Thursday night.

Lorenzo Brown and Josh Nebo were also key factors in an impressive road win

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2026-01-06T19:15:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket broke its winless streak in Belgrade by defeating Crvena Zvezda 106-89 on Christmas Eve. Jean Montero starred with a career-high 25 points and 4 steals as Valencia stayed atop the EuroLeague standings.


Fearless Valencia sweeps Zvezda with historic triumph in Belgrade

On a day where a snow-covered Belgrade celebrated Christmas Eve, Valencia Basket took to the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall to ruin the festivities and it did so in style.

The Spanish side may have never celebrated a victory away at Zvezda heading into Tuesday’s clash, but curses are there to be broken and the visitors proved that by grabbing a 89-106 win on the road.

Pulling off what head coach Pedro Martinez called "probably" the team’s "best game of the season" in the press conference, Valencia cruised past the hosts in the first half.

Jean Montero produced a career night in the Serbian capital, netting 15 points as Valencia took a 37-54 lead at halftime. A 2-11 run to end the first quarter was followed by a 2-9 surge late in the second, as the visitors silenced the home crowd with big baskets and transition points off turnovers.

Despite Valencia’s strong start to the game, Zvezda showed no intention of throwing in the towel. The hosts hit the ground running in the second half by going on a 13-0 run that cut the difference to 50-54. Inspired by a red-hot Jordan Nwora, who scored 17 of his 22 points in the third quarter, the Serbian side brought the fans back into the game.

With the arena buzzing, Valencia met the moment head-on and responded with a 0-9 run that put an end to Zvezda’s momentum. Brancou Badio nailed one from deep before making 2 from the free-throw line. Then, he set up Jaime Pradilla and Montero, whose bucket restored a 50-63 cushion. Valencia would never look back.

“In basketball, it’s so important to play well, but it’s more important to recover from the bad moments,” Martinez told EuroLeague TV after the game. “We were sure, because Zvezda is a very good team, that in the second half, they were going to react. We needed to understand that it was a new game and we had to play well another time and we did that. I’m happier for this than for the win.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔸 No tiene frío en el invierno de Belgrado<br>🔸 No tiene frío en las alturas de Pionir<br><br>🥶 Natali Reuvers <a href="https://t.co/kmFqAIST0X">pic.twitter.com/kmFqAIST0X</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/2008665477527327093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Valencia opened the first double-round week of 2026 with a victory in Belgrade, maintaining its spot on top of the standings alongside Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv.

This is yet another statement road win by the Spanish side, which has already celebrated triumphs away at both Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus. Because, as Kameron Taylor stressed after the game, this group of players shall not flinch against any opponent.

“I think we’re just hungry,” he told EuroLeague TV. “We don’t have any fears. We’re looking forward to the next game. Crowds like this really bring the best out of us. We’ve played in Greece, in here. Playing in front of the best crowds we look forward to. I think we are just hungry, young guys.”

Montero ended the game on a career-high 25 points by going 6-for-7 from inside the arc and 3-for-8 from deep. He stepped up on both ends of the floor, also recording a game-high 4 steals in a sublime night for the EuroLeague rookie.

 “We’ve got to believe in us,” he said after the game. “Obviously, during the game, there’s lots of ups and downs. We’ve just got to stay together and stick to the coach's plan.”

Having swept one of the playoff contenders by scoring over 100 points at Zvezda, Valencia is set to host last season’s runner-up AS Monaco on Thursday night. Brimming with confidence from the start of the season, Martinez’s team has shown no hesitation in looking EuroLeague powerhouses in the eye.

Considered by many as the most fun-to-watch side in the league, Valencia has taken EuroLeague by storm and does not seem willing to gear down.

Jean Montero posted a career-high 25 points to lead his team to their first ever victory at Zvezda

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Valencia Basket (2026-01-06T19:00:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona snapped a two-game skid with a 93-83 home win over Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv as Toko Shengelia scored 22 points in his first game since Round 15, adding 4 assists and key plays down the stretch.


Shengelia's return sparks Barcelona past Maccabi 

FC Barcelona has a star-studded roster, but the return of one of its best players, Toko Shengelia, sparked an important home win over Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv to snap a two-game losing streak.

Shengelia played his first game since Round 15 and the veteran big man scored a team-high 22 points in a hard-fought 93-83 victory as Barcelona improved to 13-7.

Barcelona opened a 24-point lead in the second quarter but watched as Maccabi trimmed the gap to 5 points in the final frame. Shengelia stepped up with two plays to stop the momentum and get Barcelona back on track.

“It was very important for us how we got the win,” said Shengelia, who also collected 2 rebounds and 4 assists. “They are a team that never gives up. Even though we were up, we had the feeling that they were right there. We had to lock down and be focused for 40 minutes.”

Shengelia last played in the EuroLeague in Round 15 - Barcelona’s 98-85 win over Olympiacos Piraeus in mid-December - as he was dealing with a groin issue.

“It was important for me to come back. I am back in better shape,” said the 34-year-old center.

Head coach Xavi Pascual was happy to have the Georgian big man back.

“He’s one of the most important players we have. He’s a top-level player and we are very happy that he is back. We were missing him a lot. With him, we have another dimension to the team,” the coach said.

In addition to Shengelia’s production, Nicolas Laprovittola scored 14 points, Kevin Punter had 12 points and Willy Hernangomez tallied his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

“I’m just trying to do my job and follow the gameplan and execute. I feel more confident every day,” said Hernangomez.

“I am happy the way we fought today without our fans. It was a very difficult game. We fought together, we helped each other. This was a very important victory for us.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">L’home de la nit 🌟 <a href="https://t.co/Ji9s6rdnlL">pic.twitter.com/Ji9s6rdnlL</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/2008666581153546706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Barcelona played in front of an empty Palau Blaugrana and the team struggled to control the ball with 18 turnovers. But the team knocked down 15 three-pointers.

Barcelona was hot from the start with 6 triples in a 22-3 run to pull ahead 29-12. The advantage swelled to 24 points - 44-20 - with a 12-1 start to the second quarter.

Maccabi drained 6 triples of its own over the rest of the first half in getting the deficit to 56-44 at the break. Barcelona was up by 14 points going into the final 10 minutes. Barcelona failed to score for the first 4 minutes of the final frame and Maccabi inched to within 77-72. Shengelia scored to put Barcelona on the board and immediately drew an offensive foul followed by a Myles Cale triple for a 10-point lead to weather the storm.

Maccabi has now lost two straight after a five-game winning streak to fall to 8-12 as it fights to stay in the race for the postseason.

Tamir Blatt tied his career high with 5 three-pointers in scoring 17 points and 9 assists, Jaylen Hoard added 15 points and Iffe Lundberg scored 14 points.

Maccabi head coach Oded Kattash knows where the game was lost.

“We started the game terribly. It was not the first time it has happened to us. It’s like we don’t want to learn our lessons,” said the coach. “We have to come out really aggressive. In order to win here against a very talented and well-coached team, you have to be focused. You have to start the game way more aggressive and focus on both sides of the court. Sometimes you lose the game in the first 7 minutes and that’s what happened tonight.”

Barcelona improved its all-time record against Maccabi to 24-13, including winning the last eight games. Maccabi last beat Barcelona on April 7, 2022, in Barcelona.

The Barça big man stars in first game since Round 15

FC Barcelona v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2026-01-06T19:30:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce rallied past Olympiacos 88-80 in Round 20 EuroLeague clash, hitting 10 second-half threes and riding Wade Baldwin’s career-high 11 assists and 17 points.

Wade Baldwin brings the heat as Fenerbahce downs Olympiacos

When two EuroLeague heavyweights finally met after weeks of anticipation, the wait was worth it. Olympiacos Piraeus and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul were the only teams yet to face each other this season after their Round 14 clash was postponed. The stage was set in Istanbul, but the Reds were shorthanded without starting center Nikola Milutinov and newly signed Tyrique Jones. Fenerbahce smelled opportunity — and seized it with an 88-80 road win that showcased its depth, resilience, and a star guard in peak form.

For 32 minutes, the game was a tense tug-of-war. Then came the turning point: Donta Hall’s fourth foul with 7:58 left. Fenerbahce flipped the switch, attacking the rim and running the break. Brandon Boston sparked the surge with a highlight sequence — a block on Monte Morris, a three-point play seconds later, a put-back dunk, and a driving layup. From there, Wade Baldwin took over.

With the game on the line, Baldwin proved again that he is in one of the best moments in his career. After Evan Fournier gave Olympiacos a 64-66 edge, Baldwin struck twice from downtown and fed Boston for the aforementioned three-point play in an 11-4 run that put Fenerbahce ahead for good. He was far from done as Baldwin found Nicolo Melli for a corner triple, hit his trademark jumper off the dribble and found Tarik Biberovic for another dagger from downtown.

All of a sudden, Fenerbahce led 87-76 in the next-to-last minute and had sealed its 10th victory in 11 games.

Baldwin finished the game with his second double-double of the season. His 11 assists tied his career-high, which he set with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz against Anadolu Efes Istanbul in March 2022. He added 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 fouls drawn for a PIR of 24. In Round 19, in his first game in 2026, Baldwin led Fenerbahce to a 93-108 road win over Baskonia with 24 points and a PIR of 29.

Fenerbahce missed all of its 13 shots from beyond the arc in the first half, before making 10 of 18 after the break. As Baldwin said after the game, it was one of the keys to the game.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">İşte karşınızda harika performansını double-double ile taçlandıran gecenin MVP&#39;si! 👑<br><br>👉 Wade Baldwin IV<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PetrolOfisi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PetrolOfisi</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fk3S8PWkyY">pic.twitter.com/Fk3S8PWkyY</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/2008639503666397654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"In the first half we weren't really knocking them down, but they were good looks, the pace seemed like it was up and down. And in the second half, we were making them. Tarik \[Biberovic\], Bonzie \[Colson\] hit big threes, Brandon \[Baston\] played tremendous, and Talen \[Horton-Tucker\] has done what he's done since joining us, which is being aggressive, the dominant scorer that he is," Baldwin said. "We are on a roll right now, and it's a good time to be on Fenerbahce."

Fenerbahce is set to travel to Dubai for its Round 21 showdown, which gives EuroLeague fans the chance to see two of the hottest guards in the competition right now, Baldwin against McKinley Wright.

Fenerbahce missed all 13 first-half threes, then buried 10 after the break to seal its 10th win in 11 games.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Olympiacos Piraeus (2026-01-06T17:45:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne has powered up its frontline with the addition of big man Paul Eboua. The Cameroonian forward joins on loan from EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. 

ASVEL brings rebounding ace Paul Eboua aboard

[LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) has powered up its frontline with the addition of big man [Paul Eboua](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/paul-eboua/006725/) for the remainder of this season. The Cameroonian forward joins on loan from [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/). 

Eboua (2.03 meters, 25 years old) started the season on loan at Trapani Shark, where he averaged 10.7 points and 9.2 rebounds in the Italian League and 8.2 points and 5.8 rebounds in the BCL.

Eboua was 15 years old when he moved to Italy to join the Stella Azzura Rome youth academy. He helped Rome reach the championship game of the NextGen EuroLeague Finals in 2018.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Un renfort nommé Paul Eboua ! 💪<br><br>L’intérieur Paul EBOUA (25 ans, 2m03) vient étoffer l’effectif de LDLC ASVEL pour la deuxième partie de saison.<br><br>Capable d’évoluer sur le poste 4 et 5, réputé gros rebondeur, l’international camerounais a construit sa carrière en Italie (Pesaro,… <a href="https://t.co/sJIk6LTrch">pic.twitter.com/sJIk6LTrch</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/2008225983900643677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He has since played for Roseto Sharks, Pesaro, Leonessa, Cremona and Trapani, in addition to stint in the G League with the Long Island Nets. Eboua joined Milan on a multi-year deal in the summer of 2024 before going out on loan to Cremona and Trapani.

Last summer Eboua helped Camaroon reach the semifinals at AfroBasket 2025. Now he will get his chance to compete at Europe's highest level with ASVEL.

More ASVEL News

The power forward joins on loan from Milan